Chatham Roberdeau Wheat

Chatham Roberdeau Wheat (9 April 1826-27 June 1862) was a Major of the Confederate States of America and a military adventurer.

Biography
Wheat was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and moved to Louisiana as a young boy. He was of French and English descent. A man of impressive physical stature, he served under Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War but he fell ill and left military service. In 1848 he became a member of the Louisiana state legislature and in 1849 he was admitted to the bar. However, the thrill of warfare called to C.H. Wheat, and in 1851 he joined Narciso Lopez's war to liberate Cuba. After Lopez and many Americans were executed with the failure of the expedition, Wheat headed to Mexico again in 1855 and fought in a civil war between Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and Juan Alvarez. Wheat even went so far as to head to Europe, leaving the Americas, and he served under Giuseppe Garibaldi and fought at the Battle of Calatafimi, Battle of Monreale, Battle of Milazzo, and the Battle of Volturno in 1860. Wheat left Italy when his state seceded from the Union, and he returned home to become a Major in the Confederate States Army.

Wheat was given command of the "Louisiana Tigers" battalion of 500 Germans, Irishmen, and some New Orleans locals during the American Civil War and he fought in the First Battle of Bull Run on 21 July 1861. His battalion again fought in the Valley Campaign and Peninsula Campaign, with much distinction.

Death
On 27 June 1862 he fought in the Battle of Gaines' Mill in the Peninsula Campaign, commanding his battalion. When Colonel Isaac Seymour was killed, Wheat stepped up to take command of his brigade but was killed with a bullet through the head. He was buried in Richmond, Virginia.